Health professionals

The law preserves eligibility for state programs tied to shortage-area status even if federal designations change, while giving the state more detailed information for workforce planning.

What the law does ​

• Treats current federal shortage areas, areas federally recognized on January 1, 2025, and areas designated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information as health-professional shortage areas for state-law purposes.
• Authorizes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to revoke state-recognized or grandfathered shortage-area designations.
• Requires healing-arts licensing boards to collect or request workforce information when licenses are issued and at least every two years, with a temporary exception for the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board.
• Adds workforce questions on inpatient and outpatient hours and whether a professional offers a formal sliding-fee scale.
• Requires boards to send individual workforce data monthly to the Department of Health Care Access and Information, which may release it only in nonidentifiable aggregate form.

Who it affects ​

• Licensed and registered health professionals regulated by California healing-arts boards.
• Health-profession licensing boards and the Department of Health Care Access and Information.
• Communities and state programs that use health-professional shortage-area status.

Context ​

The shortage-area definition expires on January 1, 2035.

Breakdown ​

Health Professional Shortage Areas ​

Until January 1, 2035, the bill creates a state definition of “health professional shortage area.” It includes areas identified by the Department of Health Care Access and Information, areas currently recognized by the federal government, and areas federally recognized on January 1, 2025, even if their federal designation later ends. The department may revoke its own designations under specified conditions.

Key takeaways

• The bill establishes a temporary state definition of health professional shortage area that applies until January 1, 2035.
• An area can qualify if the Department of Health Care Access and Information determines that it lacks enough health professionals.
• Areas currently designated or recognized by the federal Department of Health and Human Services also qualify.
• Areas that had a federal shortage-area designation or recognition on January 1, 2025, continue to qualify even if the federal government later removes that status.
• The Department of Health Care Access and Information may revoke shortage-area designations as specified.

Health Workforce Data Collection ​

AB 1811 requires healing-arts boards to collect or request workforce information when they issue a license or registration, subject to exceptions. It expands the information to include inpatient and outpatient work hours and whether a professional uses a formal sliding fee scale. Boards must also send licensee and registrant data to the Department of Health Care Access and Information every month instead of every quarter.

Key takeaways

• Boards must collect or request workforce data when issuing a license or registration, except in specified circumstances.
• Workforce data must include hours worked in inpatient care and outpatient care.
• Workforce data must also indicate whether the licensee or registrant offers a formal sliding fee scale.
• Boards must provide individual licensee and registrant data to the Department of Health Care Access and Information monthly rather than quarterly.
• The bill changes when and how often workforce information is collected and reported for health workforce planning.

Public Access Findings ​

The bill makes the findings required when a law may limit public access to government meetings or records. These findings state that the limitation serves a protected interest and is necessary to protect that interest.

Key takeaways

• The bill includes legislative findings addressing its effect on public access to government meetings or records.
• California’s Constitution requires these findings when a statute limits public access.
• The findings are intended to show that the limitation protects an important interest and is necessary for that purpose.

Coordinating Changes With SB 1271 ​

This part coordinates AB 1811 with SB 1271 if both bills become law. It adds SB 1271’s proposed changes to Business and Professions Code Section 502 only when AB 1811 is signed last.

Key takeaways

• The coordinated changes apply only if both AB 1811 and SB 1271 are enacted.
• AB 1811 must be enacted after SB 1271 for these changes to take effect.
• The changes concern Business and Professions Code Section 502.
• This provision is intended to incorporate SB 1271’s additional proposed changes into Section 502.